What Makes Up Our Products?
An Inside Look
Materials Matter
One core practice of ours is to constantly ask for and integrate feedback from our community.
When we ask our customers why they choose to mark life’s moments in print with us, time and time again, the most resounding answers are the design of our products and the quality with which they’re made.
It’s these distinctions that we strive to uphold in everything we create — simply to elevate, distill and live up to the memories that are most important to you.
So if you find yourself researching what company to choose for your photos, or are simply curious about how we did it for you. See what sets 20 Photos apart, from responsibly sourced materials to the simple aesthetics that elevate your photos.
“You can see the expertise of someone who works with colour, and the way they are laid out with the horizons flowing across. The professional editing of the photos adds real value.”
Quality Materials
It all starts with
Thick, Archival Paper
First, the centrepiece of all of our products: premium (“fine art”) paper.
We hand-select each paper with intention for substantial thickness, lasting quality, and optimal display potential.
Thanks to their matte texture, compared to more typical glossy paper types on the market, our papers give a delicate yet rich and detailed rendering to your photos, with the ink setting into each page rather than sitting on top.
It’s this look and feel that has come to embody the 20 Photos aesthetic, and continues to bring customers back to print with us. No matter which product you choose, know that your photos will live on with archival quality and a tactile nature.
DIFFERENT, BY DESIGN
Artful Details
We believe craftsmanship and care not only lie in the materials and construction, but also the little design details. From the spine on the Small Print boxes, ready for your title, to the themes, colours and horizons matched in the Big Prints; it’s these artful details that delight the recipients.
Made by Hand with Care
Our goal is to ensure that you can see and feel we care as much about your important moments as you. This is done through detailed workmanship and handcrafted touches by actual humans who care. Every product is made and assembled here in our studio in Edinburgh.
“It’s really nice to be able to get your pictures, that you covet, and that you’ve taken, printed in a way that’s reflective of a professional photograph ”
Premium Fine Art Printing
20 Photos renders your photos through a series of tiny dots, rather than the environmentally harmful traditional photo print method using silver halide. Press printing also allows us to formulate our own unique colour profile on the printer, fine-tuning colour curves to give your images a warm and balanced aesthetic.
We use actual ink that absorbs into the paper - it’s made with high amounts of photo-stable pigment, meaning the colours remain vibrant through the generations.
Sustainable and Innovative
It’s a simple, yet worthwhile joy to make your prints from materials that mean something more — from paper made of recycled coffee cups to cotton sourced as a by-product of the clothing industry.
Our print boxes are made in the Lake District using 100% renewable energy and then cut and printed in Scotland. They are made from disposable paper coffee cups destined for landfill and transforms them into a beautiful, pioneering material; a combination of chemistry and artistry. The whole process is zero waste.
Our specialist paper-maker is a 500 year old German company. We chose them for their unmatched record in fine art paper combined with impeccable innovative environmental credentials. Our 20 Photos print paper is made from 100% cotton lint which is a byproduct of the clothing industry and the colour brightness, depth of blacks and fine contrast sets it apart.
Lasting for Generations
All of our print papers meet the ISO standard for ageing resistance of paper and extreme light fastness. In combination with our highly pigmented, stabilised inks, your prints will last for hundreds of years, without loss of colour.
Thoughtful Packaging
When it comes to packaging, we believe it’s important to balance protecting the environment with protecting your print memories. Wherever possible, we use materials that will do both well. Our Hero Print envelopes, Big Print triangles and Small Print postal boxes, buffer material and even our packaging tape are made with 100% recycled and recycleable materials. And we ask you to recycle them, in return!
Design Thinking
In addition to quality, our customers know and love us for the design of our products. Across each of our products, you’ll find curated options with a timeless, minimalist aesthetic. From colours and layouts to unique construction, each design decision is made with intention and purpose.
Inspired By Our Community
We wouldn’t exist without our community. It’s thanks to your input and participation — in surveys, voting on designs, and crowdsourcing new colours — that we’re able to make more informed decisions and deliver on real feedback and requests. We’re so grateful, and hope it only continues!
See what we're made of, firsthand.